Redneck Island Winners Riley and Becky on What Comes Next

It was a crazy journey, but Thursday night (March 31) was the final battle of Redneck Island Season 5, and veteran team Riley and Becky came out on top. The finale challenge took the pair 1 hour, 37 minutes and 53 seconds to complete, beating fellow competitors by just a few puzzle pieces.

We chatted with the winning pair to get all of the answers you’ve been dying to know.

How did you feel when you placed that final puzzle piece and Steve announced you had won?

Riley: It was just a huge feeling of relief. The whole time we had been in this competition, and you can never really let your guard down and relax and now finally we could.

Becky: I literally thought I was dreaming. I was kind of delirious from the race and was slapping myself in the face and everything!

What strategy or edge did you two have over the other teams that helped you come out on top?

Riley: I think we had the advantage because we had been partners longer than the other teams in the finale and we worked really well together.

Becky: We had a “go with the flow” strategy more than anything. We tried to stay out of the drama and focus on that cash. In this game you really have to take every day in stride, it’s all about living in the “now.” Anything can go wrong and you just have to be ready for that type of pressure in those challenges.

What does winning the $100,000 mean to you?

Becky: Winning that $100,000 meant everything to me this season. I had already felt what it was like to lose by seconds last season, and this season I was doing it for my big sister. I feel like when you have a greater purpose for doing things, it gives you that much more sense of determination while you’re trying to achieve it.

Riley: Winning that money will definitely change my life. It makes all of the hardwork and time worth while.

What did or will you spend it on?

Riley: I plan on building a house with the money. I think that would be the best thing to do with it.

Becky: My original plan was to open a salon with my sister, but a lot of things have changed since then and my sister passed away ten days after I got home. For now, I’m putting half in my savings, doing some nice things for my family, getting a new car and then I’m going to invest the rest and what I make on tour as a singer into something great.

How has your life changed since winning the show?

Riley: Since winning the show I have had big increase in music sales and also a bigger following with my music. Also it has been great to see all the support from my hometown.

Becky: It hasn’t changed much of my “personal life” yet because I won’t get the check for another two weeks, but it has definitely helped my mental state on how I can do anything I put my mind to and defeat all odds if I believe with everything I have. It’s strengthened my faith in my ability to conquer big goals.

When you got home from the show, how did your family react to the news that you had won?

Becky: My family were the only people I could really tell. I wanted to keep it a secret and tell them all I lost but I’m so glad I wound up telling my sister Christine before she passed because that is a priceless moment I will never forget.

Riley: My family was probably more excited than I was that I won… I was just happy to be home.

How do you think your friends who don’t know will react once they see the finale?

Riley: My friends that don’t know will probably lose it when they find out I won. I’m sure we will have to have some kind of celebration.

Becky: They are going to trip out! They all know I’m a little “spider monkey” and have determination when I want something, but let’s face it, my odds were slim on winning the whole thing with my size. They are going to be more excited than anything that I pulled through this time.

What are you up to now?

Becky: Right now I am focusing my time and energy into my next big venture, music! I can’t say what tour I’ll be a background vocalist for until it’s released this week, but it is going to be the ride of a lifetime.

Riley: Nowadays I’m mostly just playing music. I’m traveling around the southeast playing shows and writing new music. I still do some construction work during the week and try to hunt as much as I can.

What does the future hold for you?

Riley: I think this year will definitely be my best year musically and I think the show will definitely open some new doors for me. Not only with the prize money but also with all the publicity that comes from being on CMT.

Becky: Hey, thoughts create reality. You never know with me. I’ve done a lot so far that most people never thought I would be able to, from movies, to this show, to my modeling career when I was flying to Mexico and Vegas for competitions. If you can think it, you can do it, and with a mind like mine, it’s more “like a box of chocolates… You never know what you’re gonna get!”